The St. Lawrence University women's hockey team with a two-game series at Penn State University this Thursday and Friday, September 23 and 24. Both games are slated to start at 7 p.m.

With most of the women's hockey team having participated in the spring and summer semesters during the last academic year, this year's squad hasn't been apart for long.

"We have been enjoying getting out on the ice for practice here the last couple of weeks," said head coach Chris Wells '92. "It hasn't been much of a break for our group as most of them were still in Canton until early July, but I think we are really looking forward to playing in a game again. It is always good to see where we are at in the early going and Penn State will certainly give us a good idea of where we stand."

With more of a regular schedule this season, as opposed to the sprint season that that took place starting in January, the Saints will open with Penn State before returning home to host Syracuse on October 1-2. The Scarlet and Brown will play in a non-league series against Clarkson on October 15-16, and a play a home-and-away series with RIT, before opening ECAC play on the road at RPI and Union.

Juniors Julia Gosling and Anna Segedi and sophomore Taylor Lum combined for 12 of St. Lawrence's 30 goals last season, but are currently out for the season due to Olympic activities and the Saints will be looking to the rest of their roster to step up this season.

Gosling was chosen for centralization for Canada, while Segedi and Lum will play for China.

The Saints will return three of their top five goal scorers from last season in Shailynn Snow, Rachel Bjorgan and Jessica Poirier, and seven of the top 10, with the return of Kristina Bahl, Brittney Gout, Skylar Podvey and Chloé Puddifant.

"We have a younger team this season, more so than in the previous years and we also have some players switching positions," said Wells. "It is going to be fun watching this team come together this year. Almost everyone will be playing in different roles and that will allow for quite a bit of growth as the season takes shape. The team is really excited to get started.  One of the great things about college sports is watching players grow into positions, roles, and have success."
 
Returning in goal for St. Lawrence this season is Mandan, North Dakota native, Lucy Morgan, who earned MAC Goaltending ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Year honors last season. Morgan also helped lead the Saints to the ECAC Hockey championship game last season, which the Saints reached by winning four straight games against rival Clarkson in a span of eight days.

Captains for the 2021-22 season are: Skylar Podvey (C), Brittney Gout (A), Kristen Guerriero (A).
 
When Coach Wells was asked his goals for this season, he said: "To score some goals! I think this team will play the first couple of weekends here and take a look at things. At that point we will be able to start setting some goals as to where we want to be. What I like about this group is that we have spent time in the present each day at practice and workouts. Taking things day by day. That is the type of team I think we will have, one that doesn't get too far out in front of things."
 
Along with the Saints league schedule, the Scarlet and Brown will also take a road trip to Erie, Pennsylvania for a two-game series against Mercyhurst on November 12-13 and will play Ohio State and the University of Minnesota Duluth at the D1 in DC Tournament following the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Saints close out the year with the league series against the Golden Knights for the Legends of Appleton Induction Weekend and open the 2022 year with a road trip to Quinnipiac and Princeton.
 
"The team can't wait to get on the bus and head down to Happy Valley," Wells added. "The excitement will really kick up next week when we have a couple of home games. People in town are pumped to get back into Appleton. They had a "teaser" back in February 2020, now everyone wants to get back into our beautiful facility and watch our teams play."
 
Tickets for all women's hockey games feature free admission courtesy of North Country Savings Bank.

Follow the links to check out the Saints' latest news, roster, and schedule for the upcoming season.